The invention generally relates to large scale food process lines of the type having a series of machines or stations arranged together and performing distinct processes on articles of food product for ultimately producing packaged and frozen food product. The frozen and packaged food product affords distribution to restaurant and/or consumer grocery stores and the like. For example and without limitation, in the case of frozen baked chicken for the fast food or consumer grocery stores, such a food process line might comprise the following stations in series:—1) dry-coat, 2) wet-coat, 3) bake, 4) freeze and package and so on.
Given the foregoing, the invention more particularly relates to a spiral oven as well as heat delivery and drive therefor in order to accomplish much of the same work as by the known spiral ovens of large scale food process lines except scalable in a range between large and compact scale extremes.
A number of additional features and objects will be apparent in connection with the following discussion of preferred embodiments and examples.